Traditional and Modern Societies: A Comparative Look

What are we talking about?

Traditional refers to those societies or elements of societies that are small-scale, are derived from indigenous and
often ancient cultural practices.
Modern refers to those practices that relate to the industrial mode of production or the development of large-scale
often colonial societies.
These co-exist in the world today.
Even though there is no such thing as a completely traditional or completely modern society at the present time, the
collision between the two forms of organiation has great significance for everyone alive today.
The principle of social analsis!
Even the idea of separating society or daily life into !components" #economy, religion, political organiation, social
relations, etc.$ does not ma%e sense in the traditional worldview, in which they are all inter-penetrated, a &estalt.
The domination of 'estern ways and thought of all others, by military and economic force, may be a historical fact,
but is not necessarily a permanent state of affairs.
Subsistence and econom!
Traditional( )roduction for use or subsistence.
*imple division of labor #age, sex$+ cooperation.
,nits of production family, clan, village, age-set #organic social units$.,nits of distribution and consumption socially-
based #family, etc.$.
-onsumption to satisfy basic needs or ritual.
.ittle transformation of produce #crafts, metallurgy, coo%ing/$
Tas%s organically interdependent.
Modern( )roduction for profit, growth.
-omplex division of labor #specialiation, differentiation$.
0ndividualied, mechanied+ units hard to identify #not social$.,nits of dist. are individual, mechanical, commercial,
corporate.
-onsumption needs and competitive #over-$ consumerism.
1igh degree of trans., commoditiation.
2ependence on others" s%ills, %nowledge.
Material culture!
Traditional( 3ccumulation for redistribution, exchange for prestige, alliance.
-ollective ownership.
4o distinct economic sphere+ inter-penetrated with %inship, age, ritual.
4o wor% for pay+ no formal contract+ no labor or shadow.
5ew possessions+ similar standard of living.
Modern( 6esources not always used for social ends #self$. -ult of wealth.
)rivate ownership.
2istinct economic sphere, with distinct domains.
)ay for goods and services+ contract-based+ shadow wor%.
Many possessions+ ine7uitable distribution of resources and wealth.
Cultural ecolog!
Traditional( *ubsistence strategy related to ecology, population sie and structure, settlement pattern.
*acred land and commons.
,se value of environment.
Transport by human or animal energy.
0ndividuals have variety of s%ills+ ma%e tools and control them.
1uman, plant, animal and solar energy.
Migration and diverse settlement.
.imited but nutritious diet.
Modern( Techno-economic system unrelated to environmental, social and cultural factors.
6estricted access #private$, but few sacred places or commons.
6esource exploitation, domination of nature.
Machine transportation+ chemical energy.
Expertise replaces s%ill and general %nowledge.
-hemical, mechanical energy intensive+ muscular is leisure.
,rbanied. 6ural supports growth.
8aried, but 7uestionable diet #commercialied$.
"olitical and social features!
Traditional( 0nherently democratic, decentralied power %in-based.
)ublic goals #good of group over individual$.
4o bureaucracy.
5oreign policy is trade, raiding, negotiation, or retaliation.3ge, %in, and gender #some$ dominance.
&roups in society inter-mixed.
-ommunity cohesion+ hospitality !law".
5ace-to-face relations, everything negotiable+ consensus important.
5amily important.
Modern( *tate tends away from democracy+ centralied. 9ligarchy.
*ome public and personal goals.
:ureaucratic.
-on7uest, commerce, assimilation, colonialism.-lass, caste, stratified hierarchy of elites, also.
*ocial separation #apartheid$.
.ittle sense of community.
0mpersonal, distance communication, everything pre-defined.
5amily pulled apart.
Lifestle!
Traditional( More leisure, more time+ time means lived life.
*piritual focus.
Mythological basis for taboos and rules. 0nformal social control.
)eople entertain themselves. -onversation is an art.
Modern( .ess leisure, no time+ time is independent of life+ time is money.
*ecular or religious.
.egalistic or doctrinal. 5ormal social control.
)eople are entertained by specialists. -onsumption replaces conversation.
.ess leisure, no time+ time is independent of life+ time is money.
*ecular or religious.
.egalistic or doctrinal. 5ormal social control.
)eople are entertained by specialists. -onsumption replaces conversation.